Switching apparatus for ultra high frequencies



Oct. 18, 1949.

Filed April 24, 1944 R. v. GOULD 2,484,822

SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCIES 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 30 I 1 I I I I I 112-52, 1* 1M 1 i I i I i 73 "w L Q 17 l i m m ,9 23

1 21- 1a 'INVENTOR/ 4 1 ATTORNEY Oct. 18, R. V. GOULD SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCIES Filed April 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z mvm ATTORN EY Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCIES Robert V. Gould, Merrick, N. Y,, assignor to The Sperry Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application April 24, 1944, Serial No. 532,556

Claims.

The present invention relates to electric switch and Wave radiation apparatus and pertains particularly to apparatus for use in connection with relatively high frequency circuits, such as may employ hollow pipe wave guide transmission lines.

An object of the invention is to provide a high frequency switch or a commutator.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a wave guide transfer switch.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a commutator for multiple radiator rotary scanners.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus having a rotary head and wave guide transmission lines with an apertured interceptor plate for controlling wave guide connections.

Other and further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in its preferred form in conjunction with object detecting and locating apparatus, a rotating head is employed carrying three scanner radiators of the parabolic reflector type having wave guide transmission line elements for conveying the wave energy to be transmitted and received. In order to cause the wave guide elements associated with each of the radiators to be connected to the transmitting and receiving apparatus only while the radiator in question is sweeping through a predetermined angle, wave guide transfer switches are provided. Each switch takes the form of three wave guide elements extending radially from a transmission line carrying a circularly uniform mode of propagation and three wave guide connections from the radiators with inwardly extending open ends having openings opposite the outer end openings of the radially extending wave guide elements. All of the wave guide elements are carried by the rotating head and an interceptor in the form of a drum with an opening therein for a portion of its periphery is mounted so that the drum surface lies between the juxtaposed open ends of the wave guide elements. The drum is physically supported by the rotating part of the apparatus, but planetary gear mechanism is provided for rotating it backward with respect to the rotating head at a speed equal to the forward speed of the rotating head, so that the drum actually remains stationary, permitting the juxtaposed openings in the wave guide elements to sweep past the open and solid portions of the drum in succession, thereby successively transferring electrical connections through successively different wave guides.

A more comprehensive understanding of the invention will be afforded by the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and those features of the invention which are believed to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a rotary multiple radiator with a dual wave guide transfer switch;

Fig. 2 is in part a cross sectional view of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1, represented as cut by a broken plane 2-2 represented in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a switch drum employed in the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is an assembly view of the apparatus.

Like reference characters are used throughout the drawings to designate like parts.

The apparatus illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises a rotating head designated generally by the reference numeral II, a wave guide transfer switch l2, a gear box l3 and a wave guide input connection M. The rotating head I l is supported by a revolving turntable l5 driven by a motor, not shown, through the gear box l3. As will become more apparent from examination of Fig. 1, mechanism forming the transfer switch I2 is also supported by the rotating head carried by the turntable l5.

The housing of the gear box I3 and a portion of the interior mechanism are broken away in the view of Fig. 1, so as to expose the interior mechanism. This mechanism includes a conventional speed reduction gearing comprising a driven gear 16 and a driving pinion l l secured to a shaft l8, driven by a motor not shown. The gear 16 is journaled upon a stationary sleeve H], which is, in turn, secured upon a stationary hollow shaft 2|. The hollow shaft 21 is composed of or lined with suitable electrically conducting material such as copper or brass, preferably silver plated, so that it may serve as a wave guide for circularly uniform transmission modes of short electromagnetic waves. The input wave guide transmission line l4, shown as a rectangular type of line, is coupled to the hollow shaft transmission line 2| by means of a unit 22 of suitable construction for properly matching the line in accordance with principles not forming a part of the present invention, A shorting cylinder 20 may be mounted concentrically within the end unit 22 for the purpose of suppressing any wave transmission modes which are not circularly uni 'form. With respect to the rotating portion of the apparatus, the entire mechanism of Fig. 1 is supported by a relatively stationary mounting device, not shown, to which the gear box I3 is secured by means of feet 23.

The driven gear [6 has a hub in the form of a flanged sleeve 24 to which the turntable i is bolted.

The rotary head I I indicated in Fig. 4 carries a plurality of paraboloid type reflectors 27 secured to the turntable l5 by means of brackets 28. In the arrangement illustrated, the reflectors 21 are three in number, only two of which are visible in Fig. 4 and only one of which is shown in fragmentary form in Fig. 1. To form radiators, the reflectors 21 are provided in the arrangement illustrated with a plurality of twisted rectangular type wave guide transmission lines, only two groups of which, namely the transmitter lines 29 and the receiver lines 3|, are shown in the drawing. It will be understood, however, that in case multiple or overlapping beam operation is desired, such as described in the copending application of J. J. Caldwell and Robert F. Hayes, Jr., No. 443,573, filed May 19, 1942, additional transmitter or receiver connector wave guide transmission lines would be provided for each of the reflectors 21. In accordance with conventional practice for such radiators, the wave guide transmission lines 29 and 3| have reentrant outer ends 30 terminating at the focal or other suitable points with respect to the paraboloid reflectors 21.

For the purpose of enabling the high frequency or microwave connections to be transferred successively from one of the reflectors 2! to the next as the head ll rotates, the wave guide transfer switch I2 is provided, and each of the reflectorfeeding wave guides 29 and 3| has an end extending inwardly toward the transfer switch l2. As shown in Fig. 2, the inwardly extending ends of the groups of wave guides 29 are separately numbered and are represented by reference numerals 32, 33 and 34, only the end 32 being visible in Fig. 1. The transmission lines of the group 3| likewise have inwardly extending open ends, only one of which, the end 35, is visible in Fig. 1. For interconnecting the hollow shaft transmission line 2| with the wave guides 29, the transfer switch I2 is also provided with a rotatable hollow shaft wave guide transmission element 36 and three rectangular hollow pipe wave guide elements, 37, 38 and 39 (Fig. 2). The transmission line element 36 is an extension of the stationary hollow shaft transmission line 21!, and the elements 2| and 36 are provided with suitable annular wave trap slots 4| a quarter-Wave deep to avoid leakage of energy at the joint between the elements 2| and 36.

The wave guide elements 31, 38 and 39 have open outer ends 42, 43, and 44, which are opposite or in juxtaposition to corresponding open ends 32, 33 and 34, respectively, of the wave guides 29.

For intermittently establishing or intercepting connectionbetween the juxtaposed open transmission line ends 32 through 34 and 42 through 44, respectively, a drum 45, shown separately in Fig. 3, is provided. The drum 45 is composed of a cylinder 41 of suitable conducting material, such as spun or sheet copper or brass, which is solid, except for an opening 46. The opening 46 has an arcuate or angular length determined by the desired angle of sweep of the microwave beam from any reflector 21, which depends upon angular reflector sweep during which a given wave guide is coupled to the input transmission line 2|.

Although the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement shown, the drum 45 is shown with a smaller drum 48, secured thereto to form a stepped structure for the purpose of forming a dual switch controlling connection, not only to the wave guides 29 but also to the wave guides 3|. The output connections corresponding to the receiver wave guides 3| will be explained in greater detail hereinafter. The drum 48 corresponds to the drum 45, also having a similar opening 49.

A housing 5|, shown partially broken away in Fig. l, is provided, together with a plurality of brackets 52 for supporting the wave guide ends. The housing 5| is bolted to the rotatable turntable l 5 and the brackets 52, in turn, are bolted to the housing 5|. It will be observed that the inwardly extending open ends 32, 33 and 34 of the transmitter wave guides 29 are secured to the brackets 52 as well as the corresponding inwardly extending ends of the receiver wave guides 3|.

For supporting the drum 45, suitable bearing means 53 is provided having a relatively rotatable hub 54, to which the drum 45 is secured, the bearing 53 being journaled upon the rotatable hollow shaft extension 36.

For causing the drum 45 to remain stationary as the turntable l5 rotates, a planetary gearing mechanism is provided, comprising a ring gear 6|, formed in the stationary shaft extension 56, a ring gear 62, formed on the drum hub 54, and a pair of planetary pinions 63 and 64 meshing with the ring gears 6| and 62, respectively. The pinions 53 and 64' are rigidly secured to a spindle 58, in order to form a driving connection. The spindle 58 is journaled within a radial arm 51 (Fig. 2), which is an integral part of the rotating shaft extension 36.

The shaft extension 36 is journaled within an extending sleeve portion 56 of the shaft 2 For coupling the wave guides 31, 38 and 33 to the transmission line extension 35 and supporting these Wave guide elements, openings are provided in the periphery of the member 35 spaced apart and of suitable size, to receive the transmission line elements 31, 38 and 33. For causing the shaft extension 36 and attached wave guide elements 31, 38 and 39 to rotate with the turntable l5, straps 59 are provided for securing these wave guide elements to the switch housing 5| and thus providing additional support for the rotatable hollow shaft transmission line element 36.

For minimizing the possibility of leakage of energy at the gap between any two juxtaposed wave guide elements. such as at the openings 32 and 42, the open-ended wave uide portions may be provided with wave-trap or choke couplings 61 and 68, which are. however, spaced apart, instead of bolted together, in order to leave space for the drum 45. The couplings 6! and 83 may be in the form of flat metallic discs having annular slots 69' a quarter-wave deep and a quarterwave distant from the longer edges of the wave guide end openings 4| and 42 with the faces of the discs flush with the ends of the wave guides 29 and 31. Such wave trap couplings are not in themselves a part of the present invention, but are described in greater detail in the copending application of William A. Hayes, Serial No. 503,613, filed September 24, 1943, now abandoned. Also described in current literature such as Practical Analysis of UHF. RCA8/43.

The lengths of the wave guide elements 31, 38, and 39 are such as to prevent reflections or standing wave effects when any two or" the elements 31, 38, and 39 are in such a position that their ends are opposite the solid portion of the drum 45. In this position, the two blocked wave guides act as short-circuited transmission line stubs used to match the characteristic impedance of transmission line 2| to that of the unblocked one of transmission lines 31, 38, and 39. It will be understood that the lengths of elements 31, 38, and 39, together with the radius of drum 45, may be varied in steps of half-wave lengths without changing the electrical characteristics of the wave-guide switch. It will be understood, further, that wave guide transmissionv lines ordinarily are designed for relatively narrow frequency bands, and, accordingly, the radial dimensions of the wave guide elements 3'5, 38 and. 39 may be chosen with a fixed relation to their transverse dimensions, which determine the maximum wavelength which would be transmitted without attenuation. By effective electrical lengths is meant the physical lengths corrected for the velocity constant and for end effects, or the like.

It will be understood that the receiver wave guide connections 3| are arranged in a manner similar to the transmitter wave guide connections 29 to form a part of the second transfer switch, including radially extending wave guide elements H corresponding to the elements 3?, 38 and 38. If the received energy is to be supplied to a receiver which is carried by the turntable l5 and. thus rotates with the rotating head ii, the radial wave guide ll may be carried by and coupled to a transmission line 72 supporting a circularly uniform mode of transmission, which is supported by the hollow shaft 36, being mechanically secured thereto but electrically disconnected therefrom.

In the arrangement illustrated, the transmission line 72 is shown in the form of a concentric or coaxial line, comprising an outer conductor l3 and an inner conductor rod 14. The outer conductor 73 is composed of a casting bolted to the rotatable hollow shaft 36 having hollow projections for receiving the wave guide elements l I. The inner conductor rod '54 is mounted within the outer conductor l3 and spaced therefrom by means of stub connections represented by the plug 16 and the closed end. ll of the conductor 13. For receiving energy from the coaxial transmission line 13, a rectangular wave guide I8 is provided leading to a receiver, not shown.

It will be understood that if the received energy is to be conveyed to a stationary receiver, instead of one which rotates with the rotating head ll, an arrangement similar to that represented by the stationary hollow conductor transmission line 2| and the rotatable extension 35 may be provided for connecting the radial wave guide elements H to the receiver.

Wave trap choke couplings BI and. 82 are preferably employed also in conjunction with the transfer switch for the receiver wave guides 3 I.

In the specific arrangement illustrated, it will be observed that electromagnetic wave energy from a transmitter, not shown, may enter the system through the wave guide connection it in the direction of the arrow, passes through the hollow shaft, electromagnetic pipes or wave guides 2i and 3E, and thence passes through one of the radial elements, for example, the element 31, across the gap between the wave uide ends 42 and 32 to the wave guide 29 and to the refiector 21, whence it is radiated into space. As the rotating head ll revolves from the position shown in Fig. 2, the open wave guide ends 32 and 42 leave the open portion 46 of the drum 45 and reach a solid portion 83 thereof. Thereupon, the electromagnetic wave connection is broken and the radiation of energy ceases until the open ends of two other wave guide elements, such as the open ends 33 and 43, reach the open portion 46 of the drum, whereupon energy is again radiated while the rotating head II is revolving through an angle represented by the peripheral length of the open portion 46 of the drum 45. In this manner, each time one of the reflectors 21 reaches an appropriate angular position, the electromagnetic connection to it is established and an electromagnetic beam is swept through an angle represent-ed by the peripheral length of the drum opening 46. Thus all of the radiated energy is confined to a predetermined angular area.

In a similar manner, during the period of time that electromagnetic energy is being radiated, any energy which may be reflected from a distant object returns to one of the paraboloid reflectors Z'i, is focussed upon the reentrant end of the receiver wave guide 3| and passes between adjacent elements 35 and H whenever the open portion 49 of the drum 48 is reached, whereupon the energy continues through the transmission line elements 12 and 18 to the rotating receiver (not shown).

The rotating switch housing 5| carries the spindle 58 with it, permitting the latter to be rotated by the pinion 63 engaging the ring gear 6i, causing the pinion 64 to hold the ring gear 62 in a stationary angular position with respect to the stationary shaft 2|, thus holding the drum 45 in a stationary angular position.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle of operation of the invention has been described, together with the apparatus now believed to represent the best embodiment thereof, but it is to be understood that the apparatus shown and described is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other arrangements.

What is claimed is:

1. A wave guide transfer switch comprising, in combination, a rotating head carrying a first group of wave guides having inwardly extending portions open at the inner ends thereof, and a second group of wave guides extending radially outward with openings at the outer ends opposite the openings of the first wave guides, a transmission line coupled to said radially extending wave guides, and a drum interposed between the said ends of said first and second groups of wave guides, said drum having an opening therein extending for a portion of the periphery thereof, whereby circuit connection is completed between the wave guides on either side of said opening and circuit connection is prevented between wave guide elements intercepted by the solid portion of said drum.

2. A Wave guide switch comprising, in combination, a transmission line and a pair of relatively rotatable members, one of which comprises a cylindrical drum with an opening therein and the remainder solid, and the other of which comprises a plurality of radially extending wave guides within said drum having openings adjacent the inner surface thereof, and a plurality of wave guides extending inwardly having openings at the outer surface of the drum opposite the openings of the radially extending wave guides, said transmission line extending coaxially with said relatively rotatable elements and being coupled to the inner ends of the radially extending wave guides, whereby electrical connection is formed between wave guide elements having openings on either side of the open portion of the drum, and electrical connection is interrupted between wave guide elements having openings on either side of the solid portion of the drum.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the radially extending wave guide elements are dimensioned to transmit electro-magnetic waves having wavelengths such that the effective lengths of the radially extending wave guide elements, allowing for end effects, are each substantially the length required when blocked by the solid portion of the drum to actas short circuited transmission line stubs for matching the characteristic impedance of the said transmission line to that of the wave guide element at the open portion of the drum.

4. A transfer switch comprising, in combination, a stationary hollow shaft serving as a wave I guide connection, a wave guide carrying member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a rotatable continuation of said hollow shaft secured to said rotatable member, a sheet metal drum relatively rotatably mounted upon said rotatable shaft, a plurality of wave guide elements radially extending from said rotatable shaft and electrically coupled thereto, having openings at the inner surface of said drum, a plurality of wave guide elements also carried by said rotating member having openings each opposite the opening of one of said radially extending wave guide elements at the outer surface of said drum, said drum having an opening extending for a portion of the periphery thereof, a ring gear secured to said stationary shaft, a ring gear secured to said drum, a pair of pinions each meshing one of said ring gears, and a spindle mechanically connecting said ring gears, said rotatable member containing a bearing rotatably supporting said spindle, and said rotatable shaft having an arm including an opening through which said spindle extends, whereby the rotatable member rotates the rotatable shaft, revolves the spindle in planetary fashion, and causes rotation of said pinions to maintain said drum stationary wlth respect to the stationary shaft by causing it to rotate with respect to the rotatable shaft at a backward speed equaling the forward speed of the rotatable member.

5. A wave guide switch comprising a pair of relatively movable members and a transmission line, one of said members comprising a cylindrical drum having an opening for a portion of the periphery thereof but otherwise solid, and the other of said members carrying a wave guide element coupled to said transmission line at one end and extending toward the inner surface of said drum, and a second wave guide element with an opening at the outer surface of said drum opposite the end of the first-mentioned wave guide element, whereby a high frequency circuit connection is established between said wave guide elements when the openings thereof are adjacent the open portion of the drum, and the circuit connection is interrupted when the openings in the wave guide elements are on either side of the solid portion of the drum.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the transmission line comprises a hollow shaft with a radial opening therein receiving the inner end of the first-mentioned wave guide element.

7. A wave guide switch comprising, in combination, a pair of relatively rotatable members one of which comprises an intercepting cylindrical conductive member having an open portion and a solid portion and the other of which comprises a first group of wave guides extending radially outward from the axis of said cylindrical member having end openings at the surface of said intercepting conductive member and a second roup of wave guides having end openings opposite the end openings of the first group of wave guides, whereby electrical connection is formed between the inside and outside wave guides having openings on either side of the open portion of the intercepting plate and electrical connection is interrupted between the inside and outside wave guides having end openings on either side of the solid portion of the intercepting plate.

8. A transfer switch comprising, in combination, a stationary hollow shaft serving as a wave guide connection, a wave guide carrying member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a rotatable continuation of said hollow shaft secured to said rotatable member, a sheet metal drum relatively rotatably mounted upon said rotatable shaft, a wave guide element radially extending from said rotatable shaft and electrically coupled thereto having an opening at the inner surface of said drum, a wave guide element also carried by said rotatable member having an opening opposite the opening of said radially extending wave guide element at the outer surface of said drum, said drum having an opening extending for a portion of the periphery thereof, a ring gear secured to said stationary shaft, a ring gear secured to said drum, a pair of pinions each meshing one of said ring gears, and a spindle mechanically connecting said ring gears, said rotatable member containing a bearing rotatably supporting said spindle, and said rotatable shaft having an arm including an opening through which said spindle extends, whereby the rotatable member rotates the rotatable shaft, revolves the spindle in a planetary fashion and causes rotation of said pinions to maintain said drum stationary with respect to the stationary shaft by causing it to rotate with respect to the rotatable shaft at a backward speed equaling the forward speed of the rotatable member.

9. A transfer switch comprising, in combination, a rotatably mounted wave guide carrying member, a transmission line coaxial therewith, a sheet metal drum relatively rotatably mounted coaxially with said rotatable wave guide carrying member, a wave guide element radially extending having an inner end coupled to said transmission line and an open outer end at the inner surface of said drum, a wave guide element also carried by said rotating member having an opening opposite the opening of said first mentioned wave guide element at the outer surface of said drum,

-said drum having an opening extending for a portion of the periphery thereof, a ring gear mounted in stationary position coaxially with respect to said rotatable elements, a ring gear secured to said drum coaxial therewith, a pair of pinions each meshing one of said ring gears, and a spindle mechanically connecting said ring gears, said rotatable wave guide carrying member containing a bearing rotatably supporting said spindle, whereby the rotatable member revolves the spindle in planetary fashion and causes rotation of said pinions to maintain said drum statlonary by causing it to rotate with respect to the rotatable shaft at a backward speed equaling the forward speed of the rotatable wave guide carrying member.

10. A transfer switch comprising, in combination, a stationary hollow shaft serving as a waveguide connection, a wave guide carrying member rotatably mounted on said shaft, a plurality of wave guide elements radially extending from said Wave guide carrying member and electrically coupled thereto, and means for blocking and opening said wave guide elements in succession and in synchronism with the relative rotation of said shaft and said wave guide carrying member to transfer wave transmission successively through 15 said wave guide elements.

ROBERT V. GOULD.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,206,683 Wolfi July 2, 1940 2,206,923 Southworth July 9, 1940 2,207,845 Wolff July 16, 1940 2,223,224 Newhouse Nov. 26, 1940 2,396,044 Fox Mar. 5, 1946 2,415,242 Hershberger Feb. 4, 1947 

